On September 10, Poland will mark the inaugural National Day of Polish War Children, a national holiday recently ratified by the Polish Parliament in July. This commemoration is dedicated to acknowledging the profound suffering and enduring strength of Polish children who, despite the harrowing experiences of World War II and the oppressive actions of both German and Soviet forces, played a vital role in the nation’s post-war recovery.
September 10 was specifically chosen to commemorate a sombre chapter from 1943, when German military police and the Gestapo detained numerous Polish children in Mosina, Wielkopolska. This mass arrest was part of a larger crackdown on families suspected of supporting the independence movement. Many of the arrested children were subsequently transported to the German concentration camp for Polish children on Przemysłowa Street in Łódź, where local observances of the National Day of Polish War Children are held.
According to historical estimates, between 2,000 and 3,000 Polish children passed through the Łódź camp, with around 200 succumbing to the harsh conditions. These young detainees endured severe deprivation, illness, and exhaustion.